13.8.45. Fine very warm day. Usual porridge breakfast, rice & greens tiffin & rice & some fried small fish from reserves for tea. In view of the news Pete & I started using our beans & had an extra “cake” in the evening with ground roast beans in it. ’Twas fine. An exciting day. At about 12.30 Kiteyama⁸ came in to the Colonel &, after a bow (which was unusual) he said that Col Tokunaga would inspect the camp at 1.30. The Sergeant ordered too, that some tea should be brewed for him & also that the small spare room at HQ which the Japs have always insisted should be kept as a Conference Room, & which has never been used, should be swept out & chairs placed. Naturally we thought the big moment had arrived & were very excited. But the afternoon wore away & Tokunaga did not turn up. At 4pm a Japanese plane, I think the twin engine transport plane, flew low up & down the harbour. We felt a bit flat at that. But later, after parade, Kiteyama actually apologised for the trouble caused & thanked us, in the name of Tokunaga, for making the camp ship-shape. This has never happened before. Working parties in the evening brought in afresh the same stories – various people had told them the war was over. Rumours that the control of the town is now in the hands of the Japanese Navy. I went over to the other camp in the evening & saw the two Jones^9.& Dick¹⁰. Dick has been out today & recounted being told war over by a lorry driver & a Japanese NCO. So we are still without anything authentic. Still it is very exciting. Got a camp circular, confidential, today on discipline & arrangements with regard to our position when a relieving force arrives. Some argue from this that the Colonel knows more than we do – but I doubt it.

^8.Interpreter     ^9.Eddie Loyd Jones, Harbour Office colleague, also referred to as Joney and LJ & Capt John Jones Manager Holt’s Wharf.                 ^10.Dick Collings, Harbour Office colleague & close friend.